Commenting on a new report from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), funded by the Nuffield Foundation, which shows that there is a substantial risk that teacher recruitment targets will not be met this year in secondary school subjects, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“Teacher and school leader recruitment and retention has been severely damaged by more than a decade of eroded salaries, leaving the profession less attractive to graduates. Missed teacher recruitment targets this year are a direct consequence of that.

“Although the government is moving towards a £30k starting salary for teachers, which is needed, they are doing that by imposing real-terms pay cuts on more experienced teachers and leaders. Graduates don’t just look at starting salaries – they want careers that are viable and rewarding long-term.

"With over a quarter of primary and more than a third of secondary leaders quitting within five years of appointment, the government just isn’t doing enough to convince them that teaching is the career to choose.”